Zoomie, our little yard dog

We said goodbye to our little yard dog, Zoomie. She died of unknown causes but we can only assume that she ingested something....there were no signs of injury or trauma to her dog body. You may remember, Maddox received Zoomie as an early Christmas present last year (2010). He asked for a puppy and a baby sister for Christmas....so we added Zoomie to the family. We had lots of fun with her, but I think Buddy will miss her the most! She came to us as an "outside" dog and she stayed that way with us for the past year. Every once in a while she would venture inside and most of the time just run laps. There were also occasions where she would come in to rest or sleep real close to our feet.

We told Maddox about Zoom's passing this afternoon right before he was on the way out to do some fun stuff with Daddy. He was shocked, but seemed to handle the news quite well. When he and Jim returned from their errands, the two of them set out to choose a good place for a grave site. Maddox helped Jim dig and asked lots of questions through the process. Jim prepared Zoomie for burial (while Maddox and Cooper stayed safely inside with me) and we all gathered at her grave for a small memorial service.

Jim started the service with a prayer and thanked God for our time with Zoomie. Cooper passed on saying anything at the time. I told her that I was thankful that she was a part of our family and that she was our first puppy we got as a family of 4. I could hear Maddox sniffling and feel his hand shake as I held it. It was his turn.....he said, "Dear God, thank you for bringing Zoomie into my life. She was the best dog I've ever known" and then he burst into tears....and of course, so did I!

Maddox and I headed inside to grieve and Jim (with Cooper by his side) stayed to put the final touches on the burial site. A few minutes later Cooper came running in and was crying hard and said "Zoomie dead!" We all three hugged and cried and talked about how we would miss Zoom. Cooper regained his composure and went back out with Jim.

When Jim came back in he told me that Cooper had told him that he needed to tell Zoomie a secret. When Jim asked Cooper what it was, he said "God said, Come Zoomie, Come and Zoomie did" God called Zoomie and she was obedient.

While the boys were in the bath tonight I heard Maddox explaining to Cooper that Zoomie was still dead but God would give her a new body in Heaven. Broke my heart, but at the same time made me so proud! I am always impressed with how much they actually listen and understand. Of course, on 3 and 6 year old levels, but understanding none the least!

The loss of a pet feels a lot like the loss of a close friend. We keep thinking we'll see that little pink nose at the back door...we miss you Zoomie. May you rest in peace.

Another Milestone....

I just recently posted that Maddox had a loose tooth....I am happy to announce that HE'S OFFICIALLY A SNAGGLE-TOOTH! It was was pretty loose so after he brushed his teeth (and I washed my hands) I suggested he let me try to wiggle it. He wasn't so sure, but he trusts me so completely that he let me get my fingers in his mouth to try it. Being a lefty, I had "trouble" wiggling it with my right hand, so I tried with my left...lo and behold, it came right out! There was a lot of screaming and cheering and then he took his first look in the mirror. Maddox is not a fan of blood...he doesn't like to bleed and he doesn't like to see anyone else bleeding. Of course, when you lose a tooth, there is a little "bleed" and then the hole where the tooth just came from. He stood on his stool in the bathroom and just stared with a shocked look on his face. I was suggesting we start making phone calls (Jim was at the fire station) and he was silent. Finally, after a few minutes of only Brenda and myself talking, I asked Maddox, "Buddy, you haven't spoken in the last 3 minutes, are you ok?" His response, "I wasn't sure I could speak!"

We took pictures and called Daddy and Gram and then sent him to bed with his tooth pillow under his pillow. I asked him if wanted to request to the tooth fairy that she leave his tooth or take it with her. He strongly urged me to tell her to take it away because he thought it was pretty gross. The tooth fairy came in the night and left $5. When I woke him up for school in the morning I had forgotten that we needed to check the pillow. He didn't forget. As soon as his eyes opened he peeked under his pillow and was very pleased that the $5 bill had taken the place of the gross tooth. He even double-checked that the tooth gone!

His next dental check-up just happens to be next Monday...he'll have one less tooth to be cleaned!

My 6 year old

My first born turned 6 years old! I can't believe it! The morning before he announced that he had a loose tooth. I had been doing ok with him turning 6, but the loose tooth put me over the edge. Teeth falling out (ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic) is a real sign they are growing up!! Baby teeth mixed with snaggle-tooth adult teeth....well, that is like a flashing billboard to the rest of the world that he's not a little boy any more!! Also, on the day before his birthday he had his first soccer game of the season. He played goalie in the first part of the game and was very proud of himself for "defending his goal"...no one was able to score on him even though there were many attempts! Then, he was put out in the field and he SCORED!!!! GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!! The tears were in my eyes, I tell ya! I was a proud mama as was Jim who was on the field as assistant coach! Jim, of course, picked him up and swung him around! You would have thought he had just scored the winning goal in the World Cup!! But no, it was the first game of the season of the
U6 YMCA Lightning Strikers!

Sunday morning, September 25, 2011, Maddox woke up and announced it was HIS BIRTHDAY! He had a his waffles for breakfast with a candle in it...just for kicks we (me, Emily, Alex, and Bebe) sang Happy Birthday. He opened his gifts from the family and then went to church. They sang to him at BLASt and he brought home a little "gift" from the Sugarloaf Kids staff. When we got home from church Gram and Grandad had arrived with lunch and we ate real fast and headed to Adventure Kids!

Maddox and his party guests had a lot of fun at Adventure Kids!!! They loved the big indoor sandbox and plasma car racing! We all got in on the racing even though Jim cheated a little :) It was a great day and Maddox was very pleased with the day.

Thanks to everyone who helped make it so special. A special shout out to Aunt Emily for slaving over the homemade cupcakes!!!!!

Fireman Jim

Firefighter Jim visited Mrs. Sarno's Kindergarten class for Community Helpers week. Maddox was super proud of his daddy being the special visitor and really enjoyed being his assistant. I always love watching people (ladies especially) looking at Jim as he walks through the halls dressed in his uniform carrying his bunker gear. There is something about a man in uniform :)

The Silver Lining

In case you didn't know...aside from being a mom to 2 fabulous boys, I am also an aunt. I love my nieces and nephews as my own. Before Jim and I had kids of our own we really thought of our 1 niece (on my side) and 4 nephews (on Jim's side) as ours. This past week has been really difficult for us...however, even in the pain and suffering we have had a ton of fun! My kids were thrilled beyond their wildest dreams when "the guys" spent the night ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! Maddox and Cooper played hard right up to the last minute before bedtime. Maddox, knowing that he had to get up early to catch the bus, was able to settle himself down and get to bed close to "on-time". Cooper, however, had to do bed checks to make sure that everyone was in their proper places and asleep before he could settle in for the night!

In preparation for Loren's return to the states from Afghanistan the guys made a poster for their dad. Not to be outdone or left out, Maddox and Cooper also made signs for Jim...although their signs were welcoming Jim home from the fire station. Enjoy these pictures of our 4 "first borns"...our precious nephews and, of course, my little cuties!

No Words....

I have a lot to say, but I can't seem to find the words to express my feelings. It's been the week and 1 day from hell. The McArthurs, Teillons, Bebe, and Kelley all appreciate your prayers and sweetness during the past week. I'll close with this...hug your babies tight, tell your family you love them, and by all means, be thankful for the good people in your life. I love you all.

My baby boy started preschool! Cooper is one of Ms. Kathy and Ms. Melanie’s Merry Monsters in the 3yr old class at Johns Creek Christian Church Preschool. It was a terribly hard decision to move from Sugarloaf UMC Preschool where Maddox spent his 3 preschool years and also where we attend church, but with the driving distance, I think we made the right decision.


Cooper’s teacher is our very own Kathy Acquaviva and across the street neighbor! Cooper knows her as he sees her every afternoon at the bus stop! He was excited yesterday morning when I woke him up and told him it was his first day of school! He immediately told me he would ride the bus! Much to his dismay, I explained that his bus would be my van…he accepted that as an answer and we went on with our morning!

He was very happy and excited as we got ready to go. I walked him in to his class (carpool will start next week…woo hoo!) and he cruised right in like he had been doing this all his life! Well, I guess he has since he was 6 weeks old when Maddox started preschool, but this was his first time as the student AND at a new school! I was so proud of him. He hung his bag up on his hook and off he went in to the classroom where he found the play doh and sat right down! A quick wave and an “I wub you, too” and he didn’t give me a second look!

I spent the short morning (it’s gradual entry week so he gets out at 11:30) with Brenda checking out her new house that she will be moving into next month. After a quick trip to WalMart , it was time to pick up my sweet boy. I stood and watched him sing “head, shoulders, knees, and toes” and interact with his classmates for a few minutes before class was dismissed. I heard Kathy say to the kids “Make sure you show your mommy what you made for her” and then we were invited to enter the classroom. Cooper was happy to see me and brought me his picture…his handprint with a heart in the middle of it and a poem about the book “The Kissing Hand”….enter lump in throat now. He presented his picture to me and then promptly kissed me on the cheek! What a guy!!! He told me he had fun and answered YES to the most important question….Do you want to come back tomorrow? Woo hoo!!! We are both looking forward to a fun year of preschool!

Orange Beach 2011

The McArthurs, Gram, and Harps (minus CJ) made our annual pilgrimage to Orange Beach, AL last weekend for the long Labor Day weekend. Our boys (and Jim and myself, too) have been looking forward to this trip all summer! Maddox has talked about the waterslide and lazy river almost daily especially as we got closer to September 2. Cooper was looking forward to seeing the ocean and playing in the sand and building a sandcastle. All the excitement came to a screeching halt as we got closer to Orange Beach and the sky got darker, the winds started blowing extremely hard, and the rain was coming down sideways!




We checked in to our favorite home away from home, the Phoenix West, and quickly put our suitcases in the condo and put bathing suits on since the rain had stopped for the moment! We got down to the pool as quickly as the elevator would take us down the 23 floors and headed out into the hurricane winds! Maddox got a few good runs down the waterslide and Jim and I both took turns taking Cooper down (careful not to dunk him at the bottom at Cooper’s request). It was quite chilly when you got out of the water to stand in line at the slide so we decided a few laps around the lazy river would be a good idea! We made it around a couple of times before the rain started again and we had to get out. The boys were satisfied with their time in the water and were hungry enough that getting out wasn’t the worst thing in the world. We collected our towels (from our zipped up bag that was being held down by a stack of chairs so that it wouldn’t blow away) and headed back up the 23 floors to our perfect temperature and safe from the winds condo. Jim went out to pick up fried shrimp from the Shrimp Basket for us for dinner (I mean, what else would we have had) while I got the boys fed and in the bed.



The rains and high winds continued for the remainder of the trip thanks to tropical storm Lee. At every break (or what I considered to be a break) in the weather I would insist that the kids rush outside to “make some memories” and “have some FUN at the beach”. Usually these trips outside would result in rushing back in because the rain would start again almost immediately or because the high winds made it almost unbearably cold in the water for my boys who think pool water should be lukewarm. Some of the highlights of the time outside include making our way down to “the dirt” as Cooper called the beach and being pelted with sand that felt like razor blades, Cooper stepping on a jellyfish (or part of one), and being caught outside when the rain started and trying to protect Cooper’s bare skin from the rain that felt like someone was slapping you repeatedly as hard as they could. Poor Cooper was also the victim of some flying peanuts that got picked up by the wind and smacked him in the face! Poor little guy thought he had been shot and had welts on his face where he got smacked. That was the breaking point for me….I no longer had the patience for the crappy weather that we were having to endure. I had a mommy meltdown and cried and cussed (some under my breath and quite a bit to Jim who hadn’t even made it outside at the point that particular day). We decided that we would try leaving the condo and looking for other “beachy” things to do.



We took the boys to San Roc Cay Marina to check out some fishing boats, had lunch out with the whole fam, and then ventured over to Adventure Island for some go kart racing, arcade games, lazer tag, and ice cream. When we left Adventure Island that afternoon, Maddox told me that this had been his best Summer ever. That’s when it hit me the hardest….my kids didn’t care that we weren’t out building sandcastles and tanning on the beach. They were having fun just being together and doing things we don’t get to do at home. They enjoyed spending time with Alex and Naomi and watching movies in the condo or playing DSi. Maddox thought it was awesome to go “to the workout room” and workout with Jim and Cooper loved to stand in the hallway and hear his loud echo-y voice while he shouted “I’m King of the World” from the 23rd floor!! They didn’t care that we had driven 6 plus hours in scary weather. They weren’t concerned that Jim and I had been saving money to take them on this “BEACH” vacation. They were just having fun being with their family and enjoying life like kids do!



As we drove home in the terrible weather with tornado warnings all around us, Maddox and Cooper were still talking about how much fun they had. Maddox’s only concern was that we had forgotten to take our family picture in the sand….it was only after I reminded him that we hadn’t forgotten, but it was just too painful to stand on the beach, that he seemed to even think about the storm we had just been in. The storm didn’t even register to him as a bad thing. While I was stressed and worried, he was just bee-bopping along with life! We decided that a long weekend at the beach in a storm beats a long weekend at home any day!

Stop! Now go.

As if Maddox not wanting to kiss me at the bus stop yesterday was bad enough, today Cooper instructed me to "Stop!" Then proceeded to walk a few feet ahead of me and then signaled it was safe for me to continue down the sidewalk. Isn't 3 a little young to be embarassed about walking with your mom (in the middle of the day without anyone around)?? I would have taken offense to his actions but he redeemed himself by insisting on holding my hand the entire walk to the bus stop to greet Maddox after school! I guess he was just testing out some independence.

Just Kiss Me Now, OK?

I have really enjoyed my 6 am wake up calls with Maddox. It is very often just the two of us so early in the morning that are awake. It’s nice to be able to wake him up out of his deep sleep, rub his back while he stretches awake, and of course, I love those sweet-pouty-sleepy lips in the morning!! I’ll sit on the side of his bed and he’ll usually flop over onto me to give me a hug (though I think he may be stealing a few extra moments with his eyes closed). I love this time. I remember last year my friend Heather saying that she enjoyed her time with her oldest as he got ready for the school while her other two continued to sleep. I thought she was crazy! How could you love getting up at 6 am?? Well, I totally get it now!

While there isn’t usually a ton of conversation going on (which is rare when you’re around Maddox) there are a lot of calm, sweet moments. There is no one else to fight with, booger, or drive crazy…it’s just the two of us watching Handy Manny (trying to sit upright) and eating breakfast. I’ll make his lunch, get his opinion on snack for the day, remind him about his water bottle, and check his folder one more time. We go upstairs to brush teeth and get rid of the bed head and then it’s out the door. This little boy who is moving in slow motion inside the house suddenly turns on his rocket boosters and takes off running to the bus stop! The cooler air in the morning gets his blood pumping and he’s ready to race me to the end of the street.

This morning about 4 houses from the bus stop he said, “Mommy, just kiss me now, ok”. I felt a little sting in my heart…he didn’t want a smooch at the bus stop in front of all the kids! I considered giving him a hard time, but instead chose to kiss my big boy away from his buddies and I told him I loved him. He’s growing up on me….too fast, but I do know that he still loves me and neeeeeds me…at least he’ll still give me kisses and hugs, right! I’ll take them where I can get them!!

Cooper's 3 yr check up

Cooper had his 3 year well check-up today and he did great! I feel very blessed to have such a wonderful pediatrician and practice so close to us. Dr. Cox is the boys' primary doctor. He's fabulous. Cooper had his appt at 9:10 this morning....of course, on the day he decided to sleep in! I had to wake him up at 8:30 so we could get out of the house at 9:00! When I woke him, I told him he needed to get dressed because we were going to see Dr. Cox. His reply, "oh wow, that's exciting!" What a sweet little guy....I don't think he actually thought it was amazing, but how wonderful to mention a doctor's name and not have him freak out! He talked about "Dr. Crocs" all through breakfast and how he was going to see him and invite him to his school. Not sure what brought on the school visit (especially since he's not even been to school yet) but we went with it!

He was a perfect patient and charmed all of the nurses and, of course, Dr. Cox. He immediately told the nurse that he had a motorcycle and that Daddy crashed and had to go to ambulance doctor. She was properly impressed and sympathetic and then went on with her portion of the exam. He was very cute balancing on the big kid scale and standing against the wall to be measured. He "guess what"-ed the nurse to death telling her all he knew and anything else that just popped into his mind. He passed his vision screen without a problem, his blood pressure was good, he drew a circle on a piece of paper, and knew his name and that he was a boy, and then could identify a house, apple, circle and square (which he says with a hilarious southern accent). He was especially proud to strip down to his undies and show off (definitely a trait of the McArthur males)!

Dr. Cox gave him a clean bill of health and told us to come back in a year. Today was our lucky day....no shots! He (and I) got the flu mist and he was a great sport during that, too! He was very appreciative of his cherry flavored "pop" at the check out counter and off we went! All before 10am!

Cooper's stats:
Weight: 31 lbs, 50% (he's gained 6 lbs since his 2 yr check when he was in the 15%)
Height: 37 5/8, 50%

First Day of Kindergarten...the long version :)

It’s the second week of Maddox’s Kindergarten year and I have yet to blog about it. I think it may be a defense mechanism on my part. Maddox is doing awesome (as am I) but when I think back to last Thursday, it still gives me a lump in my throat! It’s like putting it into words and on paper will make it even more real! So, I’m going to do my best to remember everything and to write without crying. To do so I may have to write more with my brain and less with my heart….we’ll see!
On Tuesday, August 9 we had Kindergarten Open House. Jim took an annual day from the fire department and the three of us boarded the school bus and rode to Open House. We entered the school building just like the will every school morning. As we walked down the freshly painted main hall Jim noted that it looked like a private school compared to where he went to elementary school! Brookwood Elementary opened in 2009….it’s a young school, but have an incredible amount of parent involvement and the teachers, administrators, and staff (from what we have seen) are fabulous! We went to the line for “Ms. Sarno’s class” and got our packet and Maddox’s white nametag. The three of us settled into a row with some neighborhood friends and watched a slideshow about the school and PTA while we waited for the first presentation to begin. Now you know, I have been very anxious and emotional about Maddox starting K. However, on Tuesday, I just enjoyed my time. Maddox seemed comfortable so I thought I would just go with it! It worked for us!! The kindergarten teachers were introduced and then called their classes to follow them to their classroom. So, Mrs. Sarno was introduced and all the kids with white nametags were led out of the cafeteria in a line and marched like the big kids they are to their room. Maddox gave a wave, but seemed perfectly comfortable to be there!! Jim and I were beaming with pride (but my stomach did hurt a little)! We spent 2 hours going to different presentations about PTA, transportation, after school activities, etc. before meeting Maddox in his classroom to meet his teacher and get back to the bus for the ride home. Maddox looked at ease in his new surroundings and was happy to see us and show us his seat at the table. When I introduced myself to Mrs. Sarno she told me that Maddox was talking to her on the playground and that she thought he was so funny! No surprise there, right? We boarded the bus and rode back home to our stop with Cooper and the Scott kids waiting for us.

Maddox seemed excited for school on Thursday and went along with the rest of the day as usual. Wednesday we had a fun summer day. We went to the Y and played with friends. We discussed the importance of going to bed early since we would be getting up early to get on the bus the next morning. Everyone was feeling confident. I had given Maddox the power to choose dinner for the family Wednesday night…he chose Papa John’s pizza (just cheese, no sauce  as he says) and was very pleased when the “pizza man” brought it. We had a nice relaxing dinner and then headed up for a bath and the regular nighttime routine. After the boys’ “kid show” and brushing teeth, I could tell Maddox was getting antsy. He was having a hard time settling down…excitement and nerves was starting to get the best of him. I went to tuck him in and told him I would be back to check on him in a few minutes. When I went back to check on him (20 minutes later) he wasn’t in his bed and I saw that his closet light was on. I peeked in and there he was getting dressed in shorts and his new Brookwood Bobcat t-shirt! I asked what he was doing and he said he just wanted to be ready to go! Oh lawd!! He took his “day clothes” off and got back in the bed. Tuck in #2 and a promise to be back to check on him. When I went back to check on him I could hear him chanting M-A-G over and over again quietly. I asked what he was doing and he said he was trying to teach himself how to read. After I stifled a laugh, I assured him that he was going to learn to read all through the year. He didn’t have to know how to right away! That seemed to calm him a little, but he still wanted me to “spell some words and see if I can read them”. So I did.

Me: M-a-d-d-o-x
Maddox: Maddox!
Me: CORRECT!
Me: M-o-m
Maddox: Daddy!
Me: Well, it spells mom, let’s try another…D-a-d
Maddox: Daddy!
Me: close, it’s just Dad. Ok, how about C-o-o-p-e-r?
Maddox: Cooper!
Me: CORRECT! (I guess it pays to have a lot of personalized t-shirts and bags, he’s been reading Cooper’s name for 3 years now) OK, one more and then you HAVE to go to bed…D-o-g?
Maddox: Buddy!
Me: close, the word is dog, but Buddy is your dog.

I assured him again that he would learn all he needed to know and not to worry! He promised he wouldn’t worry and once again I kissed him and told him goodnight. A few minutes later I heard the bathroom light go on…so I stuck my head in and he told me he just needed to use the bathroom and could he have a little privacy. I closed the door and waited for him to finish up. Moments later he showed up at my door. “Mommy, I have a question”. Oh goodness, I wasn’t sure where we were going this time. He told me that he was concerned that he wouldn’t know how to find his classroom in the morning. I thought, OH NO!!! This, too, is my worst fear! I hate being lost or feeling out of place! I don’t like the unknown. I have a fear of walking into places where I don’t know a soul and now my baby boy who I’m not ready to let go is telling me he’s experiencing a similar fear….noooooooo!!!!! I put my bravest face on and with a hug and a kiss reminded him that there are going to be people all over to help kids find their classes and that EVERYONE is super nice and helpful! All the while I’m fighting back tears and trying to keep the lump in my throat from closing off my airway. Lots of kisses and hugs and a pat on the butt and I sent him back to bed. I get him settled, close his door, and go downstairs and boo-hoo. Jim had run out on a sales call so it was just me pacing around the kitchen crying. I finally got control and then went in again to check on Maddox who was still flailing around NOT ASLEEP! He asked that I rest with him so I snuggled up next to him and he almost immediately fell asleep. I laid with him and just rubbed his back and admired his long eyelashes and full lips thinking he’s not going to want me to rest with him forever….one day he’ll be a crabby teenager and he’ll just want his privacy .
Thursday morning comes…finally and all of sudden both at the same time! The 6am alarm goes off and Jim and I popped out of bed. We both went in to wake up Maddox who immediately jumps up to get dressed. We had a relaxed morning getting ready and then woke Cooper up right before we walked out the door to walk to the bus stop. We were all doing ok…the excitement and nerves were all good. He was excited to see a neighbor kid as soon as we walked out of the house that was also walking with his parents to the bus stop. We got there early (of course, along with my other fears and anxieties, I didn’t want to add being late or missing the bus to our morning) and chatted with the other families and took pictures and video while we waited. The bus came and Maddox allowed me to kiss him and then like a big boy ran to get in line to board the bus. He gave us a few waves and off they went! His little face was barely visible in the window as they drove away! My heart was breaking and I couldn’t fight the tears any longer. I stood there holding Cooper who was still in his pjs and his night diaper (which began to leak as we walked home, that’s another story) with tears streaming. I wasn’t sobbing, but the emotion was too much to hold back. I was clearly a first time elementary school mom….and I have no shame in shedding tears!!!!!
I am so lucky to have great girlfriends and a supportive family to help keep me busy during that first day. Heather and I took the kids to the Y pool and packed a lunch to eat there. Cooper thought it was awesome to have my full attention and to be able to play in whatever area HE chose! It was great!

We were back in time for a shower, a short snooze for Cooper and then back to the bus stop to meet Maddox. He got off the bus smiling, happy and pleased with his experience the first day. He said his teacher “was great and has lots of great experiences”. He proud to announce that he had eaten all of his lunch, his snack, and had “sweated his head off at recess”. He was ready to go back the next day! WOO HOO and praise the Lord! All my prayers were answered. He had a great experience, he didn’t get lost, and he loved his teacher. Of course, he made some new great friends, but he had forgotten to ask them their names…he probably just called everyone dude.
I am so thankful for the 4 days he’s been to school; he comes home every day excited about the day and what he did. What a blessing!!!!

PS-the second day of school, he asked me at the bus stop if I felt like I might cry again. I told him I didn’t think so that I was so proud of him and I knew he was having fun and I thought I could be brave too. He said, “Good, but Mommy, if you think you’re going to cry, just cover your mouth.” I asked him why I should do that, did he think it wasn’t attractive when I cried? “Nah”, he said, “it’ll help you not to if you start to feel like you are going to cry.” I love that little man.

All Grown Up...

Today marks the beginning of some big events for Maddox....today is promotion Sunday at church and he will be officially inducted into the B.L.A.S.t program at Sugarloaf UMC. He will go to the assembly with the school aged kids instead of to the nursery/preschool building. This is exciting to him because he will now be in the same assembly as some of "the guys". For the past 6 months, the Pre-K class has been going to the BLAST building for the singing/praise & worship time and then slips out early before the classes dismiss to their scheduled activites. Maddox was always proud to announce which "guy" he saw in there! Now, he'll stay the full hour and get to experience the wild & crazy fun workshops that the guys have been telling him about :)

Tuesday, we will ride HIS school bus to the Kindergarten Trek/Open House. I got a call last week from his teacher, Ms. Sarno. She "sounds" young, fun, and cute! Maddox appreciates all of these qualities in his favorite women so I hope she will be a good fit! It's MY hope that she will strict, but loving, and firm, but gentle. Jim has already asked what he thinks we need to do to get Ms. Sarno to like Maddox and get him "special treatment". I told him, I think he will get her attention with his big personality and his dazzling charm. I, do however, intend to find out how I may be of service to her in volunteering in the class or around the school where I can :) We also got a call from Mr. Rich, Maddox's bus driver. Maddox has been assigned to Seat 4 for the year which is also the seat his buddy Ryan has been assigned to. He is really looking forward to riding the bus!! Other parents have told me that Mr. Rich is nice and keeps a very close eye on the kids, especially the Kindergarteners....good. I'm going to do my best NOT to follow the bus to school....but I'm not making any promises ;).

Thursday is the official first day of school! Part of me wants a little more time....another part is ready already!!!!! The build-up is killing me!!!!!! The anxiety (for me) of the unknown is so hard! I never loved the first days of school....I'm trying not to pass on my anxiety to Maddox, although, I can tell by his questions he's thinking about it a lot! I've been very proud of myself for keeping it positive when we discuss school....telling him he's going to love it, no one will let him get lost (oooohhhh, makes my stomach churn), all the teachers will be nice, he'll see lots of friends from the neighborhood, and I'll come have lunch with him when on special occasions! We are BOTH going to make it....I am confident (or at least that's what I keep telling myself).

When I think of Maddox in my mind, he's supposed to look like these pictures....in reality, he's pushing 6 YEARS OLD and maturing more and more each day!! I have decided to let him grow up, but he'll always be my baby.....